Dilated Pupil Exam: Definition, Importance, Preparations

How is a Dilated Pupil Exam Conducted?

A dilated pupil exam is conducted by an optometrist in an eye test. To perform this eye exam, the optometrist will administer eye drops to dilate the pupils which will widen the pupil to give the optometrist a better look at the inner structures of the eyes. According to the National Eye Institute, a dilated pupil exam may include a visual field test, a visual acuity test, an eye muscle test, a tonometry test and a pupil response test.

What Can a Dilated Pupil Exam Reveal About Your Eyes?

A dilated pupil exam is performed by an optometrist to look into the deeper structures of the eyes to learn and reveal more about the patient’s eye health. A dilated pupil exam can help diagnose eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. These eye conditions and their definitions are listed below.

• Glaucoma: Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions or diseases in which damage to the optic nerve causes vision loss. To diagnose glaucoma, an optometrist will perform a comprehensive dilated eye exam, according to the National Eye Institute.
• Macular degeneration: Macular Degeneration is an eye disease that affects a person’s central vision, caused by damage to the cells. A dilated eye exam can help an optometrist diagnose macular degeneration.
• Diabetic retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes where the small blood vessels in the retina located at the back of the eye are damaged. Diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed using a dilated eye exam.

What Happens to Dilated Eyes?

Dilated eyes occur when the pupil expands in response to light to let more light into the eye to help a person see. The pupil is the black circle in the centre of the eye and is controlled by the iris, the coloured part of the eye. When a person’s eyes are dilated for a pupil exam using dilating eye drops, the eyes do not respond normally to light so an eye care professional can look into the eyes without them constricting.

What to Expect After a Dilated Pupil Exam?

After a person has had their eyes dilated for a dilated pupil exam, their eyes will remain dilated for a period of time. According to Medical News Today, a person with dilated pupils may experience blurred vision, difficulty focusing on near objects and sensitivity to bright lights. Your optometrist will explain all eye checkup expectations that are involved when you have an eye test.

How Often Should You Have a Dilated Pupil Exam?

How often a person should have a dilated pupil exam varies depending on their eye health. According to the National Eye Institute, a person should have a dilated eye exam every one to two years if they are over the age of 60 or if they have a family history of glaucoma. They also report that people who have high blood pressure or diabetes should have a dilated eye exam at least once a year.

What is the Difference Between a Dilated Pupil Exam and a Refraction Eye Exam?

A dilated pupil exam and a refraction eye exam are both aspects of an eye test performed by an optometrist to learn different things about the patient's eye health and vision. A dilated pupil exam allows an optometrist to get a better view of the back of a patient’s eye which can detect eye conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. A refraction eye exam is used to detect refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.